Israel drops torture charges against soldiers

The Israeli army has dropped charges against five soldiers who were suspected of torturing a Palestinian detainee during the war in the Gaza Strip. The case sparked a debate in Israel about how their soldiers can treat enemy prisoners during wartime.

The army's decision comes at a time when the country's attention is also focused on the war with Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the move. In a statement, he stressed that Israel should pursue its enemies, not its own soldiers.

The case gained international attention after protests by right-wing demonstrators, including some members of the government, who broke into military facilities to protest the investigation of soldiers.

The investigation was also based on security camera footage from the Sde Teiman detention camp for Palestinians detained during the war in Gaza. The footage shows soldiers taking the prisoner aside and surrounding him.

According to the indictment, the soldiers seriously abused the detainee and caused him injuries. The Palestinian was released back to Gaza in October as part of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas. The army responded that it had withdrawn the charges due to circumstances that, in its opinion, complicated the case and affected the defendants' right to a fair trial.

(reuters, max)